Carter James ‘29 overcame an 0-4 record to claim first place at the Harvard-Westlake Middle School wrestling tournament with Coach Andrew Brabbee held in the Marshall Center on February 8th.
“I was pretty nervous with my 0-4 record, but I was ready to win,” James said.
James warmed up alongside teammates Oliver Elson ‘29 and Aiden Avedisian ‘29 before the tournament began. Elson advanced to the finals with a victory in his opening match. In his opening bout, James faced Noah Thomas ‘30, dominating early with a takedown to control the first period. He executed a Granby roll in the second period, earning crucial points. James built a 14-0 lead before locking in a cradle to secure a technical fall victory.
James watched Elson fall to a more experienced opponent in the finals.
“I was feeling defeated and unsure, but I knew I had to push through,” James said.
In the championship match against a Chaminade wrestler, James gained early control with a collar tie. After a brief misstep allowed his opponent to escape, James countered a throw attempt with one of his own, securing a quick pin to win the title.
“He tried to throw me, but I reversed it and threw him instead, pinning him quickly to win first place,” James said.
For his decisive move in the final match, the Harvard-Westlake Middle School wrestling coach awarded James $20 in credit for the school’s cafeteria.
